Terms and conditions

Last updated: November 2026. This English version is provided for convenience; only the German version is legally binding.

§ 1 Scope and provider

1. These terms and conditions apply to all contracts between Maximilian Zeitler, Reinickendorfer Str. 116, 13347 Berlin, Germany, info@maximilianzeitler.com, +49 160 550 38 66 (“provider”, “I”) and my clients (“you”) for portrait sessions (Portrait Day, Walk-in, Duo, Monuments, Heirloom and individual sessions), courses, workshops and mentoring, events and weddings with the mobile darkroom, gift vouchers and the purchase of works.
2. Deviating terms of the client only apply if I expressly agree to them in writing.
3. A consumer within the meaning of these terms is any natural person who enters into a contract for purposes that are predominantly outside their trade, business or profession (Section 13 German Civil Code, BGB).

§ 2 Conclusion of contract, prices and payment

1. Directly bookable appointments (Portrait Day, Walk-in, courses with a fixed date): the contract is concluded as soon as you submit the booking through my booking system and receive the booking confirmation by email.
2. Appointments on request (Duo, Monuments, Heirloom, individual sessions, courses on request): your request is not yet a contract. The contract is only concluded when I confirm the appointment by email. Section 5 applies to events.
3. All prices are final prices in euros including statutory VAT. Additional services (for example glass upgrade, scan, frame, shipping) are charged separately.
4. You can pay online when booking, by bank transfer against invoice (within 7 days, at the latest before the appointment), in cash or by card at the studio. For courses, your place is only firmly reserved once payment has been received. For events, the deposit and payment terms in Section 5 apply.
5. Discount codes and promotions (for example 10 % off the second portrait) cannot be combined with each other and cannot be applied retroactively.

§ 3 Portrait sessions

1. Service: I make handmade portraits in the wet collodion process at my studio. The number and format of plates depend on the package booked. If more plates are exposed than the package includes, you choose the plates you take; the others remain with me.
2. Completion: The plates are varnished after the session and are ready for collection after about one week. Collection is at the studio by arrangement. On request, I ship the plates carefully packed for an extra charge.
3. Storage: I keep plates that have not been collected for 6 months after completion.
4. Punctuality: If you arrive late, the session is shortened accordingly and the full price remains due.
5. Cancellation by you: You can cancel by email or via the link in the booking confirmation. The following charges apply, measured from the start of the appointment. You remain free to prove that I incurred no loss or a lower loss.

6. Rescheduling: You can reschedule once free of charge up to 48 hours before the appointment. After that, rescheduling counts as a cancellation under paragraph 5.
7. Substitute: Instead of cancelling, you can send another person at any time.
8. Cancellation by me: If I have to cancel an appointment (for example due to illness), you get a new date or a full refund of the amount already paid. There are no further claims except in cases of intent or gross negligence.

§ 4 Courses, workshops and mentoring

1. Participation: The course fee covers the services listed in the course description (for example chemistry, plates, handout). The plates made in the course belong to you. Handouts and recipes are for personal use only.
2. Minimum number of participants: Courses take place with 3 or more participants. If this number is not reached, I can cancel the course up to 7 days before. You then get a new date or a full refund of the course fee.
3. Cancellation by you: The following refunds apply, measured from the start of the course. You remain free to prove that I incurred no loss or a lower loss.

4. Substitute: You can pass your place on to another person free of charge at any time. Please let me know in advance.
5. Online mentoring: Cancellation is free up to 48 hours before the appointment; after that the full amount is due.
6. Safety: The course involves working with chemicals (including silver nitrate, ether and alcohol). Please follow my safety instructions. Eating and drinking are not allowed in the lab. Silver nitrate leaves permanent stains; I am not liable for clothing or items you bring.
7. Minors: Minors can only take part when accompanied by a parent or guardian and after prior agreement with me.
8. Exclusion: Anyone who ignores the safety instructions despite a warning may be excluded from the course; the course fee will not be refunded in that case.

§ 5 Events and weddings

1. Service: With my mobile darkroom I make portraits in the wet collodion process at your event (for example a wedding, corporate event, fair or festival), throughout Germany and beyond. Scope, formats and price are set out in the quote. Anything stated in the quote takes precedence over these terms.
2. Contract and deposit: The contract is concluded when you accept my quote by email. On acceptance, a deposit of 30 % of the quoted price is due. Your date is only firmly reserved once the deposit has been received. I invoice the balance after the event, payable within 14 days.
3. Working time and extra hours: An event day covers up to 8 hours on site. Setup (about 1 hour) is not included in this. The price is set out in the quote. You can book extra hours in the quote or on site by arrangement, as long as chemistry and plates last. Each extra hour costs €225.
4. Schedule, breaks and assistant: I make about 4 to 6 portraits per hour. With an assistant, which you can add to your booking, more portraits per hour are possible. After every 2 hours I need a 30-minute break to change the chemistry. Breaks count as working time.
5. Travel: Travel within Berlin is free. Outside Berlin I charge travel according to effort and distance; the costs are stated in the quote. If an overnight stay is necessary, I charge it separately by arrangement.
6. What you provide on site: A level area of at least 3 × 4 metres, indoors or covered, with a power connection and access to water, vehicle access for loading and unloading, and a contact person on site. If these conditions are not met, or if rain, storm or great heat outdoors do not allow safe operation, I may only be able to run the station to a limited extent. The agreed price remains due in that case.
7. Safety: I work with chemicals (including silver nitrate, ether and alcohol). The darkroom work area is for me only. Children must not be there unsupervised. Silver nitrate leaves permanent stains; I am not liable for guests’ clothing or belongings except in cases of intent or gross negligence.
8. Plates: The plates are developed on site but never varnished on site. Guests take their plates home unvarnished, or I varnish them at the studio and deliver them later, framed on request. Unvarnished plates are delicate; I give storage advice on site. Later delivery and frames are agreed in the quote.
9. Cancellation by you: You can cancel by email. The following charges apply, measured from the event date and based on the agreed price excluding travel. I only charge travel costs if I have already set off. You remain free to prove that I incurred no loss or a lower loss.

10. Rescheduling: You can move the event once free of charge if the new date is within 12 months and I am available on that day. The deposit is credited. If we cannot find a new date, the rescheduling counts as a cancellation under paragraph 9.
11. Cancellation by me: If I have to cancel an event (for example due to illness or force majeure), you get a full refund of all amounts already paid. There are no further claims except in cases of intent or gross negligence.
12. Guests and image rights: You let your guests know that portraits will be made at the event; only those who want to are photographed. For corporate events, you receive a simple right to use booked scans on your own channels (website, social media, internal communication) with credit. Advertising only by separate agreement. Otherwise Section 8 applies.

§ 6 Gift vouchers

1. Gift vouchers are available from €25 or for an amount of your choice. They are sent by email as a printable file, or as a printed card on request.
2. Gift vouchers can only be redeemed for portrait sessions, not for courses, workshops or works from the shop. If the session costs less than the voucher value, the remaining balance stays on the voucher. Cash payment is excluded.
3. Gift vouchers are valid for two years from the date of purchase.
4. Gift vouchers are transferable. I cannot replace lost vouchers if the code has already been redeemed.
5. If you buy a voucher online as a consumer, you have a 14-day right of withdrawal (see Section 7 paragraph 5).

§ 7 Sale of works and right of withdrawal

1. Conclusion of contract: An enquiry via the shop is not binding. I send you a quote by email with the price, shipping method and shipping costs. The purchase contract is concluded when you accept the quote by email. I reserve the work until the date stated in the quote.
2. Payment and delivery: Payment is by bank transfer against invoice, or also in cash or by card on collection. After receipt of payment I ship the work carefully packed within 7 working days, or you collect it from the studio by arrangement. I only deliver within the European Union.
3. Retention of title: The work remains my property until paid in full.
4. One-offs: Every work is a handmade one-off. Differences from the images on the website (tone, traces of the process) are possible and are not a defect.
5. Right of withdrawal for works and gift vouchers: As a consumer, you can withdraw from a purchase concluded exclusively by email, telephone or via the website within 14 days without giving reasons. For a work, the period starts on receipt of the goods; for a voucher, on conclusion of the contract. You bear the direct cost of returning the goods. Details are set out in the withdrawal information below.
6. No right of withdrawal for appointments: There is no right of withdrawal for portrait sessions, courses and events with a fixed date (Section 312g (2) no. 9 BGB). The cancellation terms in Sections 3, 4 and 5 apply.

§ 8 Image rights and use of scans

1. On payment, the plate becomes your property. The copyright in the images remains with me.
2. You receive a simple, non-transferable right to use the scans for private, non-commercial purposes, for example prints for your family or posting on personal social media profiles. When publishing, please credit “Maximilian Zeitler” or @mfzfoto.
3. Commercial use (for example advertising, press images, resale) is only permitted by prior written agreement.
4. I only use your portraits on my website, in exhibitions or on social media if you have consented. You can withdraw your consent for the future at any time by email.
5. I provide booked scans within 14 days of the session as a download link by email. Please download them promptly; I do not owe permanent archiving.

§ 9 Handmade work, warranty, liability and final provisions

1. Handmade work: The collodion process is a historical craft. Small irregularities such as streaks, spots or edge marks are part of the process and are not a defect. I cannot guarantee a particular result.
2. Warranty: The statutory warranty rights apply.
3. Liability: I am liable without limitation for intent and gross negligence and for injury to life, body or health. In cases of slight negligence I am only liable for breach of an essential contractual obligation, limited to the foreseeable, typical damage.
4. Dispute resolution: I am neither willing nor obliged to take part in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board.
5. Governing law and severability: German law applies. For consumers, this choice of law only applies insofar as it does not deprive them of the protection of mandatory provisions of the country in which they have their habitual residence. If any provision is invalid, the remaining provisions remain valid.

Withdrawal information

Applies only to consumers buying works or gift vouchers by email, telephone or via the website.

Right of withdrawal

You have the right to withdraw from this contract within fourteen days without giving any reason.

The withdrawal period is fourteen days

• for the purchase of a work, from the day on which you or a third party named by you, other than the carrier, takes possession of the goods;
• for the purchase of a gift voucher, from the day the contract is concluded.

To exercise the right of withdrawal, you must inform me (Maximilian Zeitler, Reinickendorfer Str. 116, 13347 Berlin, Germany, telephone +49 160 550 38 66, email info@maximilianzeitler.com) of your decision to withdraw from this contract by an unequivocal statement (for example a letter sent by post or an email). You may use the model withdrawal form below, but it is not obligatory.

To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of withdrawal before the withdrawal period has expired.

Effects of withdrawal

If you withdraw from this contract, I shall reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (with the exception of the supplementary costs resulting from your choice of a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by me), without undue delay and in any event not later than fourteen days from the day on which I am informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract. I will carry out such reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.

For the purchase of a work, I may withhold reimbursement until I have received the goods back or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest. You shall send back the goods or hand them over to me without undue delay and in any event not later than fourteen days from the day on which you communicate your withdrawal from this contract to me. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of fourteen days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.

If you requested that the service connected with the voucher begin during the withdrawal period, you shall pay me an amount which is in proportion to what has been provided until you have communicated to me your withdrawal from this contract, in comparison with the full coverage of the contract.

Model withdrawal form

(Complete and return this form only if you wish to withdraw from the contract.)

• To Maximilian Zeitler, Reinickendorfer Str. 116, 13347 Berlin, Germany, info@maximilianzeitler.com:
• I/We (*) hereby give notice that I/We (*) withdraw from my/our (*) contract of sale of the following goods (*) / for the provision of the following service (*)
• Ordered on (*) / received on (*)
• Name of consumer(s)
• Address of consumer(s)
• Signature of consumer(s) (only if this form is notified on paper)
• Date

(*) Delete as appropriate.